I can't speak about matches against other players, but quite often in matches against the NPCs it might look by the second turn as though the NPC is going to win the match yet I still manage to recover and win anyway. Maybe not always, but often. You cannot predict by the second turn whether or not you'll manage to acquire some really good cards during the third turn and beyond. In other words, it ain't over 'til it's over, so don't be too quick to give up. I find that my own mindset is often the key to winning a match (again, against the NPCs), because if I give up or panic and let my mindset influence me into making bad choices, I'll almost certainly lose the match. But if I keep my cool and try to make smart choices according to a careful strategy, I might be able to win regardless of how bad things look.

Playing against NPCs might be fundamentally different than playing against other players as far as whether or not they tend to make bad choices when certain patrons are involved, or use predictable strategies that can be anticipated and countered, but those two things above are still true-- you can't predict by turn two which cards you'll be able to buy in later turns, and your mindset during the match is paramount to whether you make good choices or start making bad choices.